Evanston, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin’s Washington, DC Senate Office

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Evanston, Illinois native Sean Pitt spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Interns process constituent requests, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inne… Continue Reading

Rockton, Illinois Student Interns in Durbin’s Washington, DC Senate Office

[WASHINGTON, DC] - Rockton, Illinois native Emma Porter spent two months this summer interning for U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), working behind the scenes in the Senator's Capitol Hill office. Each year, close to 50 interns work in Durbin's Washington, D.C., office. Interns process constituent requests, help with legislative duties, and lead Capitol tours for Illinois residents visiting Washington. During that time, they gain firsthand knowledge of the legislative process, learn about the inn… Continue Reading

Durbin, DeLauro, Levin, Reed, Doggett, Whitehouse, Warren Ask for Investigations into Ingersoll Rand’s Federal Contracts

[WASHINGTON, DC] - A bicameral group of seven Members of Congress today called for Inspector General (IG) investigations into federal contracts being awarded to Ingersoll Rand, in violation of federal law. Making the call were: Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Assistant Democratic Leader Dick Durbin (D-IL), Ways and Means Committee Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI), U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Congressman Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), a s… Continue Reading

On Fiftieth Anniversary of the Vietnam War, Durbin Honors the Men and Women who Served

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - In recognition of the fiftieth anniversary of U.S. ground forces entering Vietnam, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) made the following statement honoring the service men and women who fought in the Vietnam War, and calling for renewed efforts to provide Vietnam veterans the medical care and support that they and their families need today. "It is fitting, and it is overdue, for America to thank all of those who served and sacrificed so much in the Vietnam War. But we … Continue Reading

Durbin, Murray, Collins, and Reed Introduce TIGER ACT

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL), Patty Murray (D-WA), Susan Collins (R-ME), AND Jack Reed (D-RI) and introduced the bipartisan "Transportation Infrastructure Grants and Economic Reinvestment" (TIGER) Act. The legislation would authorize the Secretary of Transportation to provide grants and Transportation Infrastructure Finance and Innovation Act loans to States, local governments, ports, and transit agencies for critical transportation projects throughout the country. "… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Department of Education Special Master to Encourage Fair Debt Relief Process for Former For-profit Students

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin convened a meeting today with the recently-named Department of Education Special Master for debt relief, Joseph Smith. In June, the Department of Education announced relief for students who attended Corinthian's Heald campuses and Corinthian campuses that closed. But federal student debt relief for most former-Corinthian students has yet to come from the Department. "The steps the Department has taken to provide relief to some former-Corinth… Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Generals Selva and McDew Of Scott Air Force Base

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) met today with two Air Force Generals from Scott Air Force Base who are currently nominated for promotions. Durbin met with the current Commander of U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, General Paul Selva, who is nominated to serve as Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon. Durbin also met with General Darren McDew who currently heads the Air Mobility Command, also located at Scott Air Force Base, and is nomin… Continue Reading

Durbin, Blumenthal and Senate Colleagues Urge U.S. Chamber to Cease Efforts to Undermine Anti-Smoking Public-Health Measures

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Today, U.S. Senators Dick Durbin (D-IL) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) led a letter with their colleagues U.S. Senators Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Jack Reed (D-RI), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Al Franken (D-MN), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), and Jeff Merkley (D-OR) urging the U.S. Chamber of Commerce to reconsider and refocus its efforts away from undermining global anti-smoking measures. Following reports of the Chamber's lobbying to defeat anti-smoking regulations across the globe, th… Continue Reading

Durbin and Duckworth Call for Stronger Consumer Protections for Military Families

[WASHINGTON, DC] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) spoke at a press conference today to call for additional tools to better protect members of the military and their families from abusive financial practices. Today, Duckworth introduced legislation in the House of Representatives that would empower the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) to oversee and enforce compliance with certain existing provisions of the Service Member Civil Relief Act… Continue Reading

Durbin and Markey Call for Action on Asbestos in Children’s Products

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - A new report released today by the Environmental Working Group details the presence of asbestos in children's products, including crayon sets and toy fingerprint kits that are available for sale to children and families in the United States. The investigation found that the asbestos was most likely present as a result of contaminated talc used in the products, which were manufactured in and imported from China. In an effort to determine what measures are being taken to prote… Continue Reading

Durbin, Bipartisan Senators Call on President of Azerbaijan to Halt Human Rights Abuses, Resect Freedom of the Press

WASHINGTON-U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) today led a group of 15 Republican and Democratic senators calling on President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan to immediately halt human rights abuses, respect the freedom of the press, and allow the reopening of Radio Free Europe. "Over the past year, numerous human rights organizations have continuously raised concerns that there appears to be a systematic crackdown on human rights and independent civil society, including the freedom … Continue Reading

Durbin, Kelly Announce Joint Pet Coke Legislation

[CHICAGO] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) and U.S. Representative Robin Kelly (D-IL-02) met with residents of Chicago's Southeast Side today to announce they are co-sponsoring legislation that will address the concerns of petroleum coke on a national level and open the door for federal environmental safety regulations on the tar sands byproduct. The Petroleum Coke Transparency and Public Health Act of 2015 would for the first time require a federal study into the health and environmental impa… Continue Reading

Following Alarming Report, Durbin Calls for Defense Department Investigation into University of Phoenix Marketing Practices

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - Following the publication of an article by Reveal from the Center for Investigative Reporting that documents University of Phoenix's deceptive marketing practices and its infringement on military trademarks, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) - Vice Chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense - called on the Department of Defense to investigate the allegations made in the report and take immediate action to bar the company from further access to service member… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement on Opening of Embassies with Cuba

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) released the following statement after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry announced today that the U.S. and Cuba have reached an agreement to open embassies in each other's capitals. "Opening our embassy in Havana will begin to open Cuba to the value of our democracy," said Durbin. "Our foreign policy over the last 50 years in Cuba has failed to end the Castro dictatorship. The power of new ideas and the force of an open… Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Legislation to Combat Heroin Epidemic

[HOFFMAN ESTATES, IL] - In an effort to prevent drug tragedies and combat a nationwide surge of lethal drug overdoses, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with advocates, law enforcement officials, health professionals, and people recovering from heroin and opioid addiction to discuss ways to combat the problem. Durbin recently co-sponsored bills to expand treatment for heroin addiction and expand access to naloxone - a drug that counters the effects of an opioid overdose - and other drug … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Need for Long-Term Transportation Bill with Mt. Vernon Leaders

[MOUNT VERNON] - Without Congressional action, transportation funding will stop flowing to states infrastructure projects in Illinois and across the country will be seriously jeopardized, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) said today while meeting with Mount Vernon leaders. It's been more than a month since the Senate passed a two-month stop-gap measure to keep the country's major transportation and infrastructure programs running through the end of July, when the Highway Trust Fund is expected to … Continue Reading

Durbin Meets with Local Family Caregivers, Calls for Expansion of VA Caregiver Program

[MARION, IL] - After introducing legislation to expand the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Caregiver Program earlier this year, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today met with family caregivers of seriously injured veterans to hear how their lives have changed as a result of the program. The Caregiver Program - created through language Durbin included in the Caregivers and Veterans Omnibus Health Services Act of 2009 - provides home health training, peer support, and a financial stipend … Continue Reading

Durbin Discusses Strength of Illinois' Bid for National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

[SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today discussed his support for Illinois' bid to house the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) that would bring 3,150 jobs to the region. Scott Air Force Base is a finalist location for a new facility to replace NGA's current downtown St. Louis location. Durbin, who is the ranking member of the Senate Defense Appropriations Subcommittee, met with NGA Director Robert Cardillo last week in Washington to discuss the benefits of Illi… Continue Reading

Durbin In Haiti To Assess U.S. Assistance Programs Five Years After Devastating Earthquake And Cross-Border Issues With The Dominican Republic

[PORT AU PRINCE] - Assistant Senate Democratic Leader, U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) was in Haiti this weekend to meet with top Haitian officials and asses the status of U.S. assistance programs five years after the country's devastating earthquake. Durbin traveled with U.S. Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL). They also addressed the current cross-border issues with the Dominican Republic relative to registration of Haitian emigres. The senators met with Haitian President Michel Martelly, U.S. A… Continue Reading

Durbin Statement On Supreme Court Ruling In Favor of Marriage Equality

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] - U.S. Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL) today released the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality in Obergefell v. Hodges. "This is a great day for marriage equality and a historic day for civil rights in our country," said Durbin. "The decision by the Supreme Court affirms that same-sex couples across the nation have the right to marry whom they love and to participate fully - with their families - in the rights and responsibilit… Continue Reading